Domestic Violence occurs in same sex relationships too. Perpetrators of abuse in homosexual relationships often use other tactics to gain and maintain power and control over their partners/family members. They may include:

Threatening to inform your family, employer, or government agencies about your sexual preference or orientation

Belittling you about your sexual history

"outing" you

Victims of abuse face other barriers to getting help. Reporting abuse would mean having to disclose your sexual orientation, something you might not yet be ready to do. Victims of abuse in same sex relationships stay with their abusers longer because they fear not being able to find another partner. No one deserves to be abused regardless of their sexual orientation ECSO Domestic Violence Unit advocates have been trained to be empathetic to these barriers.

Children living in violent homes may have witnessed verbal threats, objects thrown, floggings, threats with weapons, sexual torture, suicide attempts and murder. In most cases, these children are not only witnesses to the violence, but are also assaulted during violent incidents.